I am enjoying reading this thread for the information. Perhaps helping to ease my concern. My wife and oldest daughter will be going there soon for a couple of weeks; I am not sure of there specific location yet. I look forward to reading more.

I took a gerber multi-plier with me the last time I went to Tanzania.. was not an issue at all..

If you are flying into Dar, expect the airport to be a disaster.. its been a mess every time I have been there..

If youre staying in Dar.. do not miss an opportunity to eat at Addis in Dar.. probably the best Ethiopian food on the planet..

If the airlines loose a bag.. the only place in all of Dar I could find clothes that would even remotely fit a normal to large sized American was an old Woolworths store in the City Center (a couple of blocks from the Kempinski hotel)..

Overall, Tanzania is a pretty cool place to visit (IMO).. great wildlife and parks if you get outside of the cities.. reasonably decent hotel and food options in the larger cities.. some neat markets, etc.. and it doesnt hurt that most everyone inside the bigger towns/cities speak decent English (outside of the cities its a crap shoot as to whether or not people will speak passable English)..

Hope you have a great trip.

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There are no stupid questions... There are however a lot of inquisitive morons..

If the airlines loose a bag.. the only place in all of Dar I could find clothes that would even remotely fit a normal to large sized American was an old Woolworths store in the City Center (a couple of blocks from the Kempinski hotel).

Reminds me of trying to buy shoes in Thailand and the Philippines. They more or less openly laughed at me. There are definitely some Filipinos well over six feet, wonder what they do for shoes.

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"The real problem was being able to stick it out, to sit in an office under the orders of a wee man in a dark gray suit and look out of the window and recall the bush country, the waving palms, the smell of sweat and cordite, the grunts of the men hauling jeeps over the river crossings, the copper-tasting fears just before the attack, and the wild, cruel joy of being alive afterward. To remember, and then go back to the ledgers and the commuter train, that was impossible. He knew he would eat his heart out if it ever came to that."

I take a leatherman in my checked baggage. Never had a problem. Also bought some knives in-country and travel back n forth with them and no issues.
(A big peeve of mine in Tanzania is US missionaries. Please be one of the pleasant humble non-pompous ones)

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"A healthy dose of well managed paranoia can be your friend"

I appreciate the responses. I will check the airports again to see if Dar is one of them. I wish I was going with them as this is a mission trip they are going on. I can can not afford to leave my job for that period of time (2.5 weeks). I will pass ya'lls information on to them, especially "stay safe" as that is a huge concern of mine. Hopefully they will have time to see the country while they are there.

Edit to add: Also, I agree with the missionary statement. My wife and kids are far from the pompous types but rather humble and some of the nicest girls you could meet. As my neighbor says: man, you really married up, not sure how you got so lucky. :)